Ovens



Dec. 20, 1960 S. V. JOECKEL OVENS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. l'7, 1958 INVENTOR Smmsy V\7ECKEL ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1960 Filed Sept. 17, 1958 s. v. JOECKEL ovsus 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5THNLEY V \76ECKEL 7 ATTORNEY Stauley V. Joeckel, Pompton Lakes, N.J., assignor to Infra-Red Systems, a corporation of New Jersey File d Sept. 17, 1958, Sex. N0. 761,646

2 Claims. (Cl. 219-34) My invention relates to ovens and more part icularly to ovens for industrial uses.

One of the objects of my invention is t provide an oven constructed of a plurality of components which may be assembled in a manner to provide an oven of a preselected size and shape to accord with a predetermined use 01' operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an oven cf the foregoing described character wherein various components constitute heating units capable of being arranged in a manner to effect maxirnum heating cf a preselected zone.

A further object of my invention is to provide a heating unit for assoeiation with sirnilar units to form eflicient means for heat treating objects or =articles confined within a restricted zone.

An important object cf my invention is to provide a heating unit of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, eflicient in operation, economical in manufacture, and lencls itself to ready replacement and Substitution without modification cf associated units.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the cornbination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings from which the several features 0f the invention and the advantages attained thereby Will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical section-al perspective view of an oven constructed in accorclance With my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pair of connectecl units and illustrating the manner in which the duct is connected thereto;

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the heating units illustrating the heat ernanating panel and grid;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a iragment-ary longitudinal sectional view of one of the units;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one 0f the units;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the units illustrating the expansion slots; and

Figure 8 is a detail sectionalview illustrating the manner cf securing the grid to the housing.

In one form of my oven, as illustrated in the drawings, I provide a construction which is fabricated in a manner 10 permit a conveyor to travel therethrough whereby objects carried by the eonveyor may be heat treated by the heating units 5 constituting components of the oven. It will be noted that the units 5 are connected together and arranged to provide a pair of side walls 6 and a top Wall 7, plates 8 being secured, by means cf bolts 9, to plates 10 disposed within the units against the inner faces 0f the side Walls to anchor the units 5 thereof together in fiXed relation. In the present form of the invention, the

Ifitfid tat Patent O 2,965742 Patented Dec. 20, 1960 ice top wall 7 comprises a plurality cf central units 5 arranged in and to end relation and angularly related side units connected to the central units and those cf the side walls 6 by means cf V-shaped members 01 angle irons 11 having outer flanges secured to the units in substantially the same manner as the plates 8.

Reinforcing and anchoring means is provided for the connected units 5 and comprises a duct 13 which transversely embraces the oven and is connected by suitable screws to the outer faces of the adjacent unit, each of the screws being threaded into the unit as shown at 14 in Figure 2. The duct 13 is provided, on the sides of the oven, with longitudinally extending branches 15 secured to the outer faces of the adjacent units with simil-ar screws. The duct and branches are equipped vvith removable covers 16 whereby access may be had to elec tric wires 17 extending therein. The electric wires 17, within the duct, extend through conduits 18 connected thereto and then to junction boxes 19 car ried by the units whereby current is supplied to the heating units 5 by being connected to the wires 17 through the junction boxes, it being understood that the wires 17 are, in turn, connected to a source of electric current of a desired voltage, etc. and controlled by a switch and/01 other desirable devices.

Bach of the heating units 5 comprises a metallic hausing or shell having unter, side, and end walls 20, 21, and 22, respectively, and an inner Wall 23. The latter Wall 23 constitutes a panel 0f a ceramic felt type of material capable of withstanding temperatures up to at least 2300 F. and which panel 23 provides a heat radiating face. Adjacent the p-anel 23, the side and end walls 21 and 22 are formed along their outer margins With T-shaped slots 24 or the like to permit expansion and contraction without distortion er damage to the Walls 21 and 22 of the Shell. A wire heat resistant element 25 is disposed postjacent the panel 23 and from which emanates electrieally produced heat energy, the element 25 being arranged in a predetermined pattern against the inner face of the panel 23 and in a manner in which the heat generated by the element is ditfused and radiated from the outer face cf the panel in the form cf long infra-red rays and in an even and uniform flow throughout the area of the outer face. Within the shell or housing and postjacent the element 25 there is disposed a layer 26 of high temperature mineral wool insulation capable of withstanding at least 2300 F. and behind which layer 26 is another layer 27 of mineral wool insulation capable of withstanding at least 1900 F. Rearwardly of the layer 27 is a layer 28 of an asbestos type insulation or the like capable cf withstanding at least 900 F. and which, in turn, has disposed rearward thereof a layer 29 of a magnesia type insulation capable of withstanding at least 600 F. A layer 30 of aluminum foil is disposed between the layer 29 and the outer wall 20 of the shell. Interposed between the layers 27 and 28 is a reflector panel 31 constructed of aluminum for reflecting heat outwardly towards the panel 23 as clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 0f the drawings.

Disposed over the outer face of the panel 23 is a wire grid 33 for securing the various compnents of the unit in anchored relation with each otl1er and to the housing. The grid is secured outwardly of the panel 23 by means of a plurality cf wires or rods 34 extending through the housing and components thereof and which wires having ends 35 looped over the grid and opposite ends formed with hook-like portions 36 disposed in seats 37 forme-d in the Wall 20 of the unit as clearly illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings. By thus attaching the wires 34 to the grid and Wall 20 of the housing, expansion and contraction of the unit may obtain witl1out damage er distortion to the various components thereof.

Frm the foregoing, it will be apparent that by the use of the plates 8 and various shapes cf angle irons 11, the units may be assembled in a predetermined order to provide an oven of a desired shape for accommodat- Ing therein a particular type of work to be heat treated. Furthermore, in some instances, some units may be arranged in opposed relation with other units which are not energized with respect to heat in those instances where it is desired to confine the heat to a particular zone on one or more sides of the work. Also, it will be apparent that my novel form of oven may be constructed in a manner wherein the ends may be closed by means of suitable doors or the like to subject the work therein to a prolonged period of heat treatment or the ends may be provided with openings whereby a conveyer may coutinuously move the work through the oven for receiving the heat treatrnent thereof. I have found that my invention provides many advantages over ovens which are 'dependent upon heat generated by bulbs, tubes, 01' other form of glass heating elements, the following being a few of the advantages obtainable by the use of my invention:

a. Flexibility.-The heating units are completely seifcontained and can be stacked in any configuration, like building blocks, to best take care cf a heating requirement. Plant operations are thus freed from rigid oven limitations.

b. Even heat.No hot or cold spots uniform heat over entire area of radiating panel.

c. High efiiciency.-Alrnost all the heat produced may be confined to a work zone.

d. Accurate temperature control.-Immediate heat which may be accurately adjusted with conventional comtrols.

e. Quick hook-up.0nly two wires to connect for each heating unit.

f. Safety.-Heating units are well insulated; housings or shells remain at safe temperature.

g. Space economy.Heating units are easily disassembled and removed when heating requirernents change.

'conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined solely to the use herein disclosed in connection therewith as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It is, therefore, t0 be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described, as the same is on1y illustrative of the principles involved whioh are capable of extended z'application in various forms, and the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

Furthermore, it is pointed out that the heat radiating pane1, which is constructed of a ceramic felt type cf material, etfects an even distribution of the heat throghout the entirc area of the panel thereby diiferentiating from ordinary units wherein heating units such as lights, resistance wires, etc. are arranged in clusters which function to establish hot and cold spots throughout the heat distributing area of the ordinary unit.

What I claim is:

1. In an oven construction, a plurality of spaced walls having individual heating units mounted in abutting relation with respect to each other unit and defining a chamber constituting a heating zone, coupling means connecting said Walls together in a manner -to form a chamber of a preselected shape for accornmodating work therein and with said units being transposable to form chambers of other shapes, each of said units having flat side and and wall surfaces for abutting engagement with associated Side and end Wall surfaces of contiguous units, a heating element carried by each of said units for ernanating infra-red rays, a panel incorporated in each unit in con tiguous relationship with said element for uniforrnly distributing heat frorn the respective element, a grid over each of said panels, rods extending through each cf said panels and interconnecting each of said grids and an unter wall of each of said units for rnaintaining components of each unit in connected relationship, and electrical wire from a source of electrical energy connected to said elements for energizing the latter whereby to heat treat work disposed in said zone.

2. An electrical heating unit comprising a housing having rear and side Walls coacting to define an open front, a heat radiating -panel closing said freut, a wire heating e1ernent for producing heat energy disposed in said housing postjacent said panel and arranged in a manner to distribute heat substantially uniform throughout the area of said panel, insulating material disposed in said housing between said rear Wall and said element, a heat reflecting member extending through said material for re flecting heat from said e1ernent outwardly through said panel, a grid disposed over said panel, rods extending through said material and said panel and connected to said housing and said grid for maintaining the latter and said panel in connected relation with said housing, electric wiring extending through said housing and connected to said element for energizing the latter, said side walls being slotted about their margins adjacent said panel to permit expansion of said housing when said element is energized.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,968,015 Cooke et a1. July 31, 1934 2418,283 Wilson Apr. l, 1947 2504,516 Goodell Apr 18, 1950 2521232 Lashells Sept. 5, 1950 2559249 Hudson Iuly 3, 1951 2634361 Reynolds Apr. 7, 1953 2742556 Bovenkerk Apr. 17, 1956 2756,319 Hatch July 24, 1956 2822,458 Hatch Feb. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 421,270 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1934 505,220 Great Britain May 8, 1939 

